This invention relates to sheet-cutting machines, and more particularly to an improved device for cutting roofing caps for installation along the ridge of a roof from conventional, two or three-panel asphalt or fiberglass roofing shingles.
Many devices exist in the prior art used to cut roofing materials into shingles and the like. U.S. Pat. No. 1,831,374 discloses one such device. Therein, composition roofing material supplied in long sheets or rolls is cut into small, individual roofing units such as slates, tiles or shingles to produce a more pleasing aesthetic effect than full width sheets.
Other devices are known for cutting shingles and the like. Exemplary are those disclosed in the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 131,024; 1,273,623; 1,302,414; 1,473;377; 1,475,551; 1,548,107; 1,583,977; 1,601,128; 1,762,405; 1,840,997; 1,956,285; 2,088,686; and 3,134,285.
Standard asphalt or fiberglass roofing shingle material is presently available in generally rectangular sheet form. Each sheet contains one or two slots cut partially through the sheet separating each such sheet into one or two tabs or panels, respectively.
The present method for cutting caps to place along the ridge line of roofs for houses and the like is simply to take a roofers knife and cut standard shingles by hand to the desired shape. This method is time-consuming and therefore expensive, dangerous and, most importantly, imprecise.
This invention obviates the difficulties of present methods for cutting roof caps and provides a machine for cutting such caps quickly, safely, economically and precisely.